The present invention includes improvements in the apparatus described in my patent No. 4592547, disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The patent describes a tennis-ball catching, sheeted structure wherein a background sheet defines an opening that serves as a target. Balls that enter the opening are returned through a chute into a bin whose front wall simulates a tennis net, being of the same height.
It was considered desirable to adapt the patented apparatus to return balls to a player without losing the net simulating effect of the front wall of the bin and to render the apparatus operable indoors within very limited playing areas. Within the confined space it was also desired to provide a return ball option whereby players could strike back their own struck balls.